Device for stringing wires



April 1939- H. R KUENZI 2,155,053

DEVICE FOR STRINGING WIRES Filed March 20,-195'7 Z Z Z2 D I W [A Snventcr 14M zdflzwm Cittornegs Patented Apr. 18, 1939 PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR STRINGING WIRES Harold R. Kuenzi, Mayville, Wis., assignor of one-fourth to B. J. Husting and one-fourth to Robert P. Pike, both Application March 20,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a device for stringing wires.

In stringing wires over the cross arms of poles maintained along the highways by the public 5 utilities, it is common to use the power of a windlass or even a motor vehicle to draw several wires simultaneously across the arms of several poles.

A rope or similar line is first strung across the arms of a series of poles, and this rope is used l'o'to draw the wires. There is a strong tendency for the'wires, as they come from their respective reels, to coil or twist, thereby becoming entangled with each other, with the poles and their fittings, or with trees having branches which =must be crossed enroute.

It is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a wire stringing device espe- Icially adapted for the work above described and having means for facilitating the passage of cross arms, trees, and other obstructions, and for holding the wires untwisted in a horizontal plane during the stringing operation. It is my further objective to accomplish these results through the use of a special weighted lever pivoted to the stringing device so that it will normally hang downwardly to perform its balancing function, but which is foldabl-e against the stringing device to clear obstructions such as the cross arms which must be traversed during the operation.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying this invention as it appears in use.

Figure 2 is a View showing the device in longitudinal section.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the device as it appears in traversing a cross arm.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

It will, of course, be understood that the device may be made of any suitable materials and that the form illustrated, while preferred, is not essential to the invention. It is desirable that the device should insulate the several wires from each other, and I have found it practical to use for the body portion 5 of the device a wooden board preferably shaped to the form illustrated in Fig. l.

The forward portion of the board is deeply slotted at 5 and the slot is traversed by bolts 1 and 8. To the forward bolt 1 I pivot the draw bar 9 on which is swiveled the connector l to which the towing rope H is tied.

Also pivoted on the cross bolt 1 is a brace link l which has an apertured terminal portion I6 engaged over the upper section H of a jointed of Mayville, Wis.

1937, Serial No. 132,023

lever pivoted on the cross bolt 8. The lower section l8 of the jointed lever is hinged at l9 to the upper section thereof, and the lever will normally hang by gravity in the position shown in Fig. 2 to constitute a weight in the nature ofa pendulum which will tend to maintain the body portion 5' of the apparatus horizontal in the performance of its towing function.

The under surface of the body is preferably channeled at 20 to receive the lever when the lever is collapsed or folded on to the body. An opening at 2| registers with the hinge I9 to receive the hinge in the collapsed or folded positions of the parts as shown in Fig. 3.

The wires 2|, 22, 23, 24 which are being strung, are fastened to the clevises 25, each of which is swiveled on a bolt 26 suitably anchored in the rear end of the device.

It will be apparent that when the device is in use and reaches an obstacle such as the cross arm 2! of the pole 28, the brace link l5 will guide the body of the device up on to the cross arm where the broad flat form of the body portion 5 will temporarily ensure that no twisting of the wires 2|, 22, 23, 24- will occur during the collapse of the weight. As the device progresses over the arm, the link l5 and the jointed lever l1, l8 will collapse successively as shown in Fig. 3 to enable the apparatus to pass smoothly over the obstruction. As soon as the obstruction is cleared the jointed lever I8 will swing down to position shown in Fig. 2 and will again maintain the body portion 5 of the apparatus horizontal, thereby keeping the wires 2|, 22, 23, 24 in proper order.

If it is now desired to release the tension on the draft line, as for example in stringing the rope over a new series of pole cross arms, the draft line may simply be allowed to slacken and the upper section ll of the lever will engage the forward face of the last pole arm traversed by the device. This lever cannot collapse in a forward direction by reason of the fact that the terminal portion l6 of brace link l5 engages the hinge l9 to prevent the lever from moving forwardly beyond the ninety degree position in which it normally hangs. Thus the lever acts as a stop or detent to prevent the apparatus from moving rearwardly over any pole arm or other obstruction which it has once traversed, and this will maintain the towed lines in position pending the relocation of the towing line or draft line.

It will, of course, be understood that the apparatus may be made of other materials and in other forms than that illustrated. It has been made of metal, but the insulating quality of wood is sufiicient so that the construction shown is preferred.

I claim:

I. A wire stringing device comprising a body portion for the connection of a towing line and lines to be towed, and pendulum means rigidly connected to said body portion against lateral displacement with respect thereto for maintaining said body portion in a predetermined position, said pendulum means being pivoted to said portion for collapse longitudinally thereon in passing obstructions.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a body portion having connections for towing lines and a line to be towed, of a lever pivotally connected with saidrbody portion and normally hanging therebeneath, the pivotal connection between the lever and the body portion being such as to permit said lever to swing only in a plane longitudinal with respect to said body portion.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a body portion having connections for towing lines and a line to be towed, of a lever pivotally connected with said body portion and normally hanging therebeneath, the pivotal connection between the lever and the body portion being such as to permit said lever to swing only in a plane longitudinal with respect to said body portion, and a collapsible brace pivotally connected with the body portion and slidably connected with said lever.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a body portion having connections for towing lines and a line to be towed, of a lever pivotally connected with said body portion and normally hanging therebeneath, the pivotal connection between the lever and the body portion being such as to permit said lever to swing only in a plane longitudinal with respect to said body portion, and a collapsible brace pivotally connected with the body portion and slidably connected with said lever, said lever having a hinged joint below the point of sliding connection of the brace therewith.

'5. A wire stringing device comprising a broad flat body having connections for a towing line and a plurality of lines to be towed, a normally pendular weight for balancing said body, said body having transversely extending means providing a fulcrum about which said weight is pivotally movable to a collapsed position against said body, a brace link for said weight, said body having a transverse means providing a fulcrum for said brace link upon which said brace link is movable to a position of collapse against said body.

6. A device of the character described comprising a body portion having an opening, a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely disposed fulcrum means spanning said opening, a lever pivoted to the rearmost of said means and nor- 

